Introduction: How to Make the HyperDagger Paper Airplane

By twitter.com/OriAirEnt
About: Paper airplane maker: 400+ designs so far and more in development!

Fast, long range and small, the HyperDagger is a nimble paper airplane derived from the larger AeroDagger. Unlike the latter, the HyperDagger has been redesigned for production from square sheets of paper to use less material.

Development of the HyperDagger was begun after I viewed TriKDang's "Glider" design, which used only a square sheet of paper. As it has been a great time since I last designed an aircraft featuring this arrangement, I decided to reapproach it. Due to the popularity of the AeroDagger, I decided to model the new design upon it. The HyperDagger, though rudimentary, proved itself quite capable in flight testing.

TAA USAF Designation: F345-1

Step 1: Materials

Required:

1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch (or 8.5 by 8.5 inch) Paper

Tape

Scissors (unless your paper is square)

Pencil

Ruler

Step 2: Length Folding and Corner Folding

Fold your paper in half along its length.

Note: Only perform the following three steps if your paper measured 8.5 inches by 11 inches originally.

Measure 2.5 inches in from the back and make a mark. After this, realign your ruler perpendicular to the edge on which the mark was placed and make a line to the other side. Cut along this line.

Fold the corners down to the center fold on each side.

Step 3: Airfoil Folding

Fold the creases of the corner folds down to the center crease. At the rear of the paper, fold the tip of the paper down to the crease on each side as shown. Fold the edges of the paper into the creases you have made with the previous folds. After doing this, fold the corners of the paper to the edges on each side as shown, then unfold them and pull their edges into their creases once again. Tuck the paper shortly afterward. After this, fold the creases of these folds down over top of themselves. Continue to fold the paper along existing creases until your paper matches the last photograph to create the airfoils.

Step 4: Canard, Wing and Winglet Folding; Taping

Pull the overhanging paper back over the center crease. Repeat on the other side. After doing this, pull the diamond back until its tips meet the apexes of the diamond; then tuck the edges of the paper underneath the other layers as shown after pulling the overhanging portion back forward. Fold the airplane in half along the center crease and fold the canards down. Align the canards' leading edges with that of the nose to maintain the angle of incidence of zero degrees. Measure 1 inch from the center crease, then 1 inch from the wingtips along the trailing edges. Fold the wings down at the marks and align the wings' trailing edges with the fuselage to maintain the proper angle of incidence. Fold the winglets at their marks and align their trailing edges with those of the wings.

Once you have completed the above, apply tape to the nose above and below the canards; at the rear of the fuselage and over the wing roots and along the center crease at the airfoil folds and on the fuselage sides at the trailing edges of the canards. This will complete the aircraft.

Step 5: Flight

The HyperDagger is a largely straightforward dart paper airplane. Launches should be conducted at moderate speed at a neutral or positive attitude. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, slats, ailerons, elevators, elevons, rudders and air brakes.